Frenkel & Frenkel Blog in Dallas, Texas

MADD Texas Lobbies for Strong Drunk Driving Legislation

Frenkel & Frenkel urges everyone to support MADD in their efforts to enact strong drunk driving legislationMothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) lobbied Texas legislators in February in an effort to pass two new drunk driving laws in the state, and Frenkel & Frenkel, a Dallas law firm, supports MADD in these efforts. MADD wants Texas legislators to pass laws that would require ignition interlocks for all drunk-driving offenders and the implementation of sobriety checkpoints. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, 1,038 people died in Texas due to drunk driving in in 2011. Ignition Interlock Devices An ignition interlock device is a mechanism installed in a vehicle dashboard that works similar to the device used by police to test blood-alcohol concentration. Drunk-driving offenders would be required to blow into the device in order to start their vehicle; if the device detects alcohol, the vehicle will not start. Many states already use ignition interlock devices, and require offenders to have the devices installed for a certain period of time after their conviction. In Texas, only repeat offenders who had a blood-alcohol concentration of more than twice the legal limit (0.16) are required to install the devices. According to MADD, these devices have helped reduce repeat offenses by as much as 66 percent. The public needs to support MADD in its efforts to have Texas join the 17 states that have already passed laws requiring these devices for all offenders. Sobriety Checkpoints At this time, Texas legislation makes sobriety checkpoints illegal under the state’s interpretation of the federal Constitution, while 38 other states allow law enforcement to perform sobriety checkpoints. During a checkpoint, drivers are checked in an orderly and methodical fashion to ensure there are no drunk drivers. If the public supports MADD in its effort to change this legislation, as many as 262 lives could be saved in Texas. That’s because sobriety checkpoints have proved to reduce drunk driving deaths by 20 percent. How Can You Support MADD? The best way to support MADD in getting these important laws passed is by emailing your legislators through links on the MADD website. These laws will help to save many lives on Texas roads, and Frenkel and Frenkel, a Dallas law firm, completely supports MADD in these efforts.